Hobby Lobby

[jchrisf]

Went to HL today to kill time before and appointment and they had a nice selection of models at 40% off.  Usually they don't have any models I am interested in because I like race cars but I was surprised to find two of the Revell Corvette C-7R and two Ford GT Le Mans kits.  I got them for a steal.

[4mula1fan]

Their selection really tanked a few years back. They quit handling some of the brands I bought most. 

[Tom Geiger]

f

Some loser boosted the yellow box car from this set.  HL reduced the set from $159.99 to $79.99 and here it sat in the clearance center!

That was my last visit, nothing good automotive to report!

[Dave Van]

On 8/15/2021 at 10:47 PM, 1930fordpickup said:

Most large big box store are like this. Timmy sits behind a desk and tells the everyone what goes where in every store. The only difference is, if  it a right or left hand store.  

It's called Plan-O-Gram. Most big chains use some form of it. My son has worked for two major retailers and both had very strict P-O-G programs and as a manager you were graded on it. SOP

[Tom Geiger]

31 minutes ago, Dave Van said:

It's called Plan-O-Gram. Most big chains use some form

I thought it was Twilight Zone where you had the parallel universe stores in New Jersey and Virginia where items were on the very same hook! 😀

[Mark]

That system worked well for K-Mart for many years, until some genius decided that they needed to go "upmarket"...

[BlackSheep214]

Same at my local HL. But.... Walmart restocked their model kits! More Grumpy’s Vega, ‘69 Torino Cobra Fastback and the usual stuff. Did saw they had the ‘70 1/2 Camaro Z/28 kit and both Cobra trike and Mailbike trike kits. May have to grab those two since they’re 6 in a series.

[WillyBilly]

So this week is 40% off all model kits at HL. Every other week they have the same sale. It is nice to get a 30 dollar model for 18 bucks. I remember buying kits for 3 bucks at Kmart a 100 years ago.

[BlackSheep214]

I remember paying $5 for model kits 75 years ago. LOLOLOL!!!

[4mula1fan]

I remember $1.89 at Kmart. 

[Bucky]

1 minute ago, 4mula1fan said:

I remember $1.89 at Kmart. 

You boys are just pups! I used to buy 1/25 scale Johan kits at G. C. Murphy for .89 a pop right after they were issued! LoL 

MPC and AMT were expensive...$1.49 each! 

[slusher]

4 hours ago, Bucky said:

You boys are just pups! I used to buy 1/25 scale Johan kits at G. C. Murphy for .89 a pop right after they were issued! LoL 

MPC and AMT were expensive...$1.49 each! 

I remember 2.50 - 3.00 in the mid 70’s and in the mid 90’s models hug around 10 bucs for a long time. Please correct me if I am wrong guys. I may be young to some but my road has been rough and I can’t remember like I use too..

[ChrisBcritter]

I remember $2.25 at the local Osco drug store and being bummed that they weren't cheaper like at Children's Bargain Town (soon to be Toys 'Я' Us). I did bite the bullet once and picked up the AMT '32 Vicky Fire Chief's Car for (shudder) retail.

[Classicgas]

I paid $1.25 back in 1968 or 69 for the original edition AMT USS Enterprise kit with lights. When I got back into the hobby in 92, car kits averaged about 8 bucks.

[deuces wild]

I remember paying $1.79 for an MPC kit in '71 at Kresge's... And right next door was Federal's Dept store... They had kits also.. prices were about the same....

[BlackSheep214]

Here's the thing... those were glory days of all model kits, accurate or not. MPC, Revell, AMT, Monogram, Jo Han and other classic brands were the norm back then.  Paints were Pactra and Testors square bottles.

[Mark]

Back when retail price on car kits was $2, K-Mart sold them for $1.44.  $2.25 retail translated to $1.66 as I recall.  But there were other places that carried model car kits, like the auction house (ex-theater) that had them as cheap as half a buck.  The choices usually included some of the previous couple of years' annual kits (mostly MPC; seldom AMT, never Jo-Han), and a few odd Trophy Series and some of AMT's (often) poor-selling TV items like the Hero Imperial and My Mother the Car.  The annual kits that wound up there weren't always what you'd think.  I picked up a '71 Racer's Wedge Chevy after the '72 kits came out, I think I had to lay out a buck and a quarter for it, still sealed.

There were a few places like that.  They were getting slow sellers and returns from the local wholesaler.  They'd have weekend sales on Saturdays between Thanksgiving and Christmas every year.  I picked stuff up even cheaper there. 

The wholesaler gradually lost the area department stores as they folded one by one.  They didn't have K-Mart (they bought their own stuff) and Wal-Mart was unknown here until around 1990.  They became a retail store, stopped selling returns because they no longer had any, and themselves closed up about four years ago.

Edited September 25, 2021 by Mark
Spelling

[Rodent]

Another old guy repeating a story, but y'all are all old guys too.

Our across the street neighbor seriously screwed up his back in 1969 and he asked my dad if he could hire me to mow and edge his lawn. Dad said OK, and my price was set at $2. I was excited because kits were $2 and with my allowance I would have money for sales tax and paint. This arrangement went on for a while, but MPC raised their price to $2.25. My dad told me that I needed to adjust my prices for lawn care, and I had "the talk" with Ralph. I was scared but he agreed to pay the new price and agreed again when MPC's price went to $2.50. Rest your soul Ralph. I learned about work ethic and inflation while being your gardener. And I bought a new kit almost every Saturday thanks to you. Also thanks to life in California where I mowed Ralph's yard from early March to late October.

[slusher]

On 9/25/2021 at 12:57 AM, ChrisBcritter said:

I remember $2.25 at the local Osco drug store and being bummed that they weren't cheaper like at Children's Bargain Town (soon to be Toys 'Я' Us). I did bite the bullet once and picked up the AMT '32 Vicky Fire Chief's Car for (shudder) retail.

I remember the Bargin Town o Milwaukee is that the one you went to?

[ChrisBcritter]

No, this was the one at the corner of Golf and Milwaukee in Niles, IL. Saw my first Ford Pinto in the parking lot there in the fall of 1970.

[thatz4u]

found 2 of these at HL in Richmond, IN

[paul alflen]

Thats4u, excellent buy, good luck, good  Karma. Now go buy a Lotto ticket!

[espo]

Well since it's 40% off Monday I beat feet to the nearest Hobby Lobby hoping to get there before all of the other treasure hunters. The first stop I got "The Racers Wedge", almost picked up the Revell '70 Chevelle SS396 but I have a couple already.  Drove on to the next store and found the Round 2 Impala 4 door hardtop. I left one on the shelf for anyone else that might have missed this when first released. 

[Mike999]

For anyone interested in the old Revell 1/110 scale "Friendship 7" kit, with the capsule, Atlas booster missile, trucks, gantry etc.: yesterday I stopped in my closest Hobby Lobby and 2 of those kits were in the "Clearance" section.  They were priced at $7.99.

[paul alflen]

Picked up 2 "Racer's Wedge's'' "at the White Lake, Mi Hobby Lobby yesterday at 40% off . Just an excellent buy at that price! Now I can put a Dodge, Ford , & Studebaker cab on them.